What This Bill Does
This bill changes how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversees airplane repair stations located outside the United States. It requires major airlines to report information about airplane maintenance work done overseas and sets new standards for who can work at these repair facilities.
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Who It Affects
- Major airlines that operate passenger and cargo flights under federal rules
- Airplane repair stations located outside the United States
- FAA employees who inspect foreign repair stations
- Mechanics and supervisors working at overseas repair facilities
- Civil aviation authorities in other countries
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Key Provisions
- Airlines must report yearly on heavy maintenance work performed outside the U.S., including where the work happened, what was done, completion dates, and any problems found within 30 days after the plane returns to service (Sec. 3)
- The FAA can conduct unannounced inspections of foreign repair stations without giving advance warning, in addition to required annual inspections (Sec. 3)
- The FAA cannot approve new repair station applications from companies in countries classified as Category 2 safety risks, though existing certificates can be renewed (Sec. 3)
- Airlines cannot sign new contracts for heavy maintenance work with companies in Category 2 countries (Sec. 3)
- All supervisors and workers approving planes for flight at overseas repair stations must have proper mechanic or repairman certification within one year of the law taking effect (Sec. 3)
- The FAA must create a working group with other countries' aviation authorities to review how foreign repair stations are certified and overseen (Sec. 4)
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What Changes
The FAA gains new power to inspect foreign repair stations without warning and receives detailed data on overseas maintenance work. Airlines face restrictions on which countries' repair stations they can use. Overseas repair facilities must employ only certified mechanics in leadership and approval roles. The FAA must work internationally to develop stronger standards for foreign repair station oversight.
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Important Definitions
- **Covered repair station:** A facility located outside the U.S. that is officially certified and performs major maintenance work on commercial airlines
- **Heavy maintenance work:** Not defined in the bill text
- **Administrator:** The head of the FAA
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1716
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require certain air carriers to
provide reports with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance,
or alterations, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 22, 2023
Mr. MOLINARO
(for himself, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr.
GARAMENDI, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Mr. BACON, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mrs.
CHAVEZ-DEREMER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GARBARINO, Mr. DONALDS, Ms.
LEE of California, Ms. TITUS, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. GARCI´A of
Illinois, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Mr. SMITH of New
Jersey, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. D’ESPOSITO, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. JACKSON
LEE, Ms. PORTER, Mr. CARL, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, and Ms. CRAIG)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require certain
air carriers to provide reports with respect to mainte-
nance, preventive maintenance, or alterations, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Aircraft Main-
4
tenance Safety Improvement Act’’.
5
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•HR 1716 IH
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
1
It is the sense of Congress that—
2
(1) the safety of the global aviation system re-
3
quires the highest standards for aircraft mainte-
4
nance, repair, and overhaul work;
5
(2) the safety of aircraft operated by United
6
States air carriers should not be dependent on the
7
location where maintenance, repair, and overhaul
8
work is performed; and
9
(3) the Federal Aviation Administration must
10
fully enforce, in a manner consistent with United
11
States obligations under international agreements,
12
Federal Aviation Administration standards for main-
13
tenance, repair, and overhaul work at every facility,
14
whether in the United States or abroad, where such
15
work is performed on aircraft operated by United
16
States air carriers.
17
SEC. 3. FAA OVERSIGHT OF REPAIR STATIONS LOCATED
18
OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
19
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 44733 of title 49, United
20
States Code, is amended—
21
(1) in the heading by striking ‘‘Inspection’’
22
and inserting ‘‘Oversight’’;
23
(2) in subsection (e)—
24
(A) by inserting ‘‘, without prior notice to
25
such repair stations,’’ after ‘‘annually’’;
26
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•HR 1716 IH
(B) by inserting ‘‘and the applicable laws
1
of the country in which a repair station is lo-
2
cated’’ after ‘‘international agreements’’; and
3
(C) by striking the last sentence and in-
4
serting ‘‘The Administrator may carry out an-
5
nounced or unannounced inspections in addition
6
to the annual unannounced inspection required
7
under this subsection based on identified risks
8
and in a manner consistent with United States
9
obligations under international agreements and
10
with the applicable laws of the country in which
11
a repair station is located.’’;
12
(3) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
13
section (j); and
14
(4) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
15
lowing:
16
‘‘(g) DATA ANALYSIS.—
17
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An air carrier conducting
18
operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Fed-
19
eral Regulations, shall, if applicable, provide to the
20
appropriate office of the Administration, not less
21
than once every year, a report containing the infor-
22
mation described in paragraph (2) with respect to
23
heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-
24
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•HR 1716 IH
wing aircraft engines) performed in the preceding
1
year.
2
‘‘(2) INFORMATION REQUIRED.—A report under
3
paragraph (1) shall contain the following informa-
4
tion:
5
‘‘(A) The location where any heavy mainte-
6
nance work on aircraft (including on-wing air-
7
craft engines) was performed outside the
8
United States.
9
‘‘(B) A description of the work performed
10
at each such location.
11
‘‘(C) The date of completion of the work
12
performed at each such location.
13
‘‘(D) A list of all failures, malfunctions, or
14
defects affecting the safe operation of such air-
15
craft identified by the air carrier within 30 days
16
after the date on which an aircraft is returned
17
to service, organized by reference to aircraft
18
registration number, that—
19
‘‘(i) requires corrective action after
20
the aircraft is approved for return to serv-
21
ice; and
22
‘‘(ii) results from the work performed
23
on such aircraft.
24
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•HR 1716 IH
‘‘(E) The certificate number of the person
1
approving such aircraft or on-wing aircraft en-
2
gine, for return to service following completion
3
of the work performed at each such location.
4
‘‘(3) ANALYSIS.—The Administrator of the
5
Federal Aviation Administration shall—
6
‘‘(A) analyze information made available
7
under paragraph (1) of this subsection and sec-
8
tions 121.703, 121.705, 121.707, and 145.221
9
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or any
10
successor provisions, to detect safety issues as-
11
sociated with heavy maintenance work on air-
12
craft (including on-wing aircraft engines) per-
13
formed outside the United States; and
14
‘‘(B) require appropriate actions in re-
15
sponse.
16
‘‘(4)
CONFIDENTIALITY.—Information
made
17
available under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the
18
same protections given to voluntarily-provided safety
19
or security related information under section 40123.
20
‘‘(h) APPLICATIONS AND PROHIBITION.—
21
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may not
22
approve any new application under part 145 of title
23
14, Code of Federal Regulations, from a person lo-
24
cated or headquartered in a country that the Admin-
25
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•HR 1716 IH
istrator, through the International Aviation Safety
1
Assessment program, has classified as Category 2.
2
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not
3
apply to an application for the renewal of a certifi-
4
cate issued under part 145 of title 14, Code of Fed-
5
eral Regulations.
6
‘‘(3) MAINTENANCE IMPLEMENTATION PROCE-
7
DURES AGREEMENT.—The Administrator may elect
8
not to enter into a new maintenance implementation
9
procedures agreement with a country classified as
10
Category 2, for as long as that country remains clas-
11
sified as Category 2.
12
‘‘(4) PROHIBITION
ON
CONTINUED
HEAVY
13
MAINTENANCE
WORK.—No air carrier conducting
14
operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Fed-
15
eral Regulations, may enter into a new contract for
16
heavy maintenance work with a person located or
17
headquartered in a country that the Administrator,
18
through the International Aviation Safety Assess-
19
ment program, has classified as Category 2, for as
20
long as such country remains classified as Category
21
2.
22
‘‘(i) MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
FOR MECHANICS
23
AND OTHERS WORKING
ON U.S. REGISTERED AIR-
24
CRAFT.—
25
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•HR 1716 IH
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after
1
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Admin-
2
istrator shall require that, at each covered repair
3
station—
4
‘‘(A) all supervisory personnel are appro-
5
priately certificated as a mechanic or repairman
6
under part 65 of title 14, Code of Federal Reg-
7
ulations, or under an equivalent certification or
8
licensing regime, as determined by the Adminis-
9
trator; and
10
‘‘(B) all personnel authorized to approve
11
an article for return to service are appropriately
12
certificated as a mechanic or repairman under
13
part 65 of such title, or under an equivalent
14
certification or licensing regime, as determined
15
by the Administrator.
16
‘‘(2) AVAILABLE
FOR
CONSULTATION.—Not
17
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
18
subsection, the Administrator shall require any indi-
19
vidual who is responsible for approving an article for
20
return to service or who is directly in charge of air-
21
craft (including on-wing aircraft engine) mainte-
22
nance performed on aircraft operated under part
23
121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, be
24
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•HR 1716 IH
available for consultation while work is being per-
1
formed at a covered repair station.’’.
2
(b) DEFINITION OF COVERED REPAIR STATION.—
3
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 44733(j) of title 49,
4
United States Code (as redesignated by this sec-
5
tion), is amended—
6
(A)
by
redesignating
paragraphs
(1)
7
through (3) as paragraphs (2) through (4), re-
8
spectively; and
9
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as
10
so redesignated, the following:
11
‘‘(1) COVERED
REPAIR
STATION.—The term
12
‘covered repair station’ means a facility that—
13
‘‘(A) is located outside the United States;
14
‘‘(B) is certificated under part 145 of title
15
14, Code of Federal Regulations; and
16
‘‘(C) performs heavy maintenance work on
17
aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) op-
18
erated under part 121 of title 14, Code of Fed-
19
eral Regulations.’’.
20
(2)
TECHNICAL
AMENDMENT.—Section
21
44733(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is
22
amended by striking ‘‘covered part 145 repair sta-
23
tions’’ and inserting ‘‘part 145 repair stations’’.
24
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•HR 1716 IH
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The analysis for
1
chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended
2
by striking the item relating to section 44733 and insert-
3
ing the following:
4
‘‘44733. Oversight of repair stations located outside the United States.’’.
SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR SAFETY OVER-
5
SIGHT OF FOREIGN REPAIR STATIONS.
6
(a) FOREIGN REPAIR STATION WORKING GROUP.—
7
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this
8
Act, the Administrator shall convene a foreign repair sta-
9
tion working group with other civil aviation authorities
10
(hereinafter referred to as ‘‘repair station working
11
group’’) to conduct a review of the certification and over-
12
sight of foreign repair stations and to identify any future
13
enhancements that might be appropriate to strengthen
14
oversight of such repair stations.
15
(b) COMPOSITION OF THE REPAIR STATION WORK-
16
ING GROUP.—The repair station working group shall con-
17
sist of—
18
(1) technical representatives from the FAA; and
19
(2) such other civil aviation authorities or inter-
20
national intergovernmental aviation safety organiza-
21
tions as the Administrator shall invite that are will-
22
ing to participate, including—
23
(A) civil aviation authorities responsible for
24
certificating foreign repair stations; and
25
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•HR 1716 IH
(B) civil aviation authorities of countries in
1
which foreign repair stations are located.
2
(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the review under
3
this section, the repair station working group shall, as ap-
4
propriate, consult with relevant experts and stakeholders.
5
(d) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The repair station work-
6
ing group shall make recommendations with respect to any
7
future enhancements that might be appropriate to—
8
(1) strengthen oversight of foreign repair sta-
9
tions; and
10
(2) better leverage the resources of other civil
11
aviation authorities to conduct such oversight.
12
(e) REPORTS.—
13
(1) REPAIR
STATION
WORKING
GROUP
RE-
14
PORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the
15
first meeting of the repair station working group,
16
the repair station working group shall submit to the
17
Administrator a report containing the findings of the
18
review and each recommendation made under sub-
19
section (d).
20
(2) FAA REPORTS.—
21
(A) TRANSMISSION
OF
REPAIR
STATION
22
WORKING GROUP REPORT.—The Administrator
23
shall submit to the Committee on Transpor-
24
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
25
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•HR 1716 IH
resentatives, and the Committee on Commerce,
1
Science, and Transportation of the Senate the
2
report required under paragraph (1) as soon as
3
is practicable after the receipt of such report.
4
(B) FAA REPORT
TO
CONGRESS.—Not
5
later than 45 days after receipt of the Report
6
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall
7
submit to the Committee on Transportation and
8
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives,
9
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
10
Transportation of the Senate a report con-
11
taining—
12
(i) a statement of whether the Admin-
13
istrator concurs or does not concur with
14
each recommendation contained in the re-
15
port required under paragraph (1);
16
(ii) for any recommendation with
17
which the Administrator does not concur, a
18
detailed explanation as to why the Admin-
19
istrator does not concur;
20
(iii) a plan to implement each rec-
21
ommendation related to FAA oversight of
22
foreign repair stations contained in such
23
report with which the Administrator con-
24
curs; and
25
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•HR 1716 IH
(iv) a plan to work with the inter-
1
national community to implement the rec-
2
ommendations applicable to both the FAA
3
as well as other civil aviation authorities.
4
(f) TERMINATION.—The repair station working
5
group shall terminate on the earlier of the date of submis-
6
sion of the report under subsection (e)(1) or on the date
7
that is 2 years after the repair station working group is
8
commissioned under subsection (a).
9
(g) DEFINITION OF FOREIGN REPAIR STATION.—In
10
this section, the term ‘‘foreign repair station’’ means a re-
11
pair station that performs
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]